Remote-control regulator.



No. 803,414. PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905. J. L. HALL 6: W. O. YATES. REMOTECONTROL REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.20. 1905.

H L m M W M N VV/TNESSES Mia/ 4 774.41%

A rrn UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. HALL AND WILLIAM C. YATES, OF SCHENEOTADY, NE YORK, ASSIGNORS TOGENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed March 20, 1905. Serial No. 251,021.

To (tZZ whont it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN L. HALL and WILLIAM G. YATES, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRemote-Control Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rheostats, and has for its object theprovision of improved means whereby the rheostat may be controlled froma remote point.

' More specifically our invention aims to provide a regulator orfield-rheostat which has few working parts, is cheap to manufacture, butis thoroughly efficient and positive in its operation.

In carrying out our invention we provide the rheostat with anelectromagnetic vibrator and mechanism cooperating therewith whereby astep-by-step movement in either direction may be given to thecontrolling-arm to automatically increase or decrease the resistance incircuit at will, the reverse movement of the controlling-arm beingaccomplished by simply operating a circuit-changer.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan'view of the regulator embodying ourimprovement, and Fig. 2 is a detail view of a modified form of disk andpawls for driving the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the base of the regulator, whichmay be of any suitable material, as slate or soapstone, and providedwith the usual contact-studs 2 and 3. These studs are arrangedconcentrically, and those of the outer circle are staggered withreference to those of the inner circle. A resistance 4 iscross-connected between the studs, as shown. The controlling-arm 5,pivoted at 6, has rigidly connected with it a disk 7, hav ing an edgewhich is roughened either by being left rough in casting or by finishingand afterward roughening with a knurl. Pivoted concentrically with butindependent of the disk 7 is an arm 8, having at its outer extremity theyoke 9. A pair of pawls 10 are pivoted at the outer extremity of thesaid arm and are mounted so as to be oppositely disposed with theirengaging portions in close proximity to the edge of disk 7. A spring 11flexibly unites the free ends of the pawls, holding them both inflexible engagement with a pin 12, fixedly mounted in the base 1. A

lever 13 is pivotally mounted at 14: and has its free end in engagementwith the yoke 9. Disposed on opposite sides of this lever andequidistant therefrom are a pair of electromagnets 15 16, having theircores arranged so as to allow a slight vibratory movement of the leverbetween the magnets. At the opposite end of the lever 13 is a metallicbar 1 1, mounted at right angles thereto and provided at its oppositeends with contact-springs 17, having platinum tips 17, which are capableof adjustment by means of screws 18. At 19 are pivotally-mounted levers20, which operate as switches to make and break the circuits of themagnets.

The leads from a generator are indicated at 21 22, the field of which isdesignated at F. The direction of the field-current through theresistance is as follows: from binding-post 23 through conductor 24: andarm 5 to the studs, thence through the resistance 4:, conductor 24, backto lead 22. The direction of the current for operating theelectromagnetic vibrator is as follows: from lead 21 through conductors25 and 25, lever 13, bar 14, spring 17,platinum contact 17, contactconductor 26 through magnet 16, conductor 27, switch 20, conductor 28 tobinding-post 29, and thence through conductor 30, switch 31, andconductor 32 to main 22. By throwing the blade of the single-poledoublethrow switch 31 into contact with clips 33 or 3 1 the current willpass through either magnet 15 or 16, as desired. It will be seen thatifthe current passes, for instance, through the magnet 15 the lever 13will be drawn to the left, thus breaking the circuit between spring 17and a contact 35 on binding-screw 35, which demagnetizes magnet 15. Thelever 13 is caused to return to a central position by reason of thespring 11, which tends to maintain the bar 8 in central position, and asthe lever is moved to the left a tension is placed upon the spring 11and the left-hand pawl 10 is thrown into engagement with disk 7 androtates the same clockwise. Upon interruption of the circuit, lever 13and bar 8 again assume the central position, with the pawls 10 out ofengagement with the disk. This permits of turning the controlling-arm byhand, if so desired. The lever 13 vibrating back and forth in the mannerdescribed will cause the controller-arm 5 to travel over the studs andvary the resistance until it is either stopped by opening the switch 31or by reaching the limit of its movement, in which latter case thecircuit is broken by arm 5 coming in contact with the switch 20 andbreaking the circuit by moving the same on its pivot against the tensionof spring 36. By throwing switch 31 in contact with the opposite clipthe armature will travel in the opposite direction, which movement willbe interrupted in a similar manner.

Fig. 2 shows the disk 07 provided with teeth having substantially radialfaces, the pawls engaging therewith beingalso of slightly difierentform, so as to properly engage the same. Ve prefer, however, to dispensewith the use of teeth and use the form shown in Fig. 1,' for the reasonthat it is more cheaply constructed and capable of liner adjustment asto the length of the steps through the screws 18.

It will thus be seen that we have provided a selfcontained remotecontrolregulator which is of simple and inexpensive construction, is efiicientand positive in its action, and can be operated by an unskilled personwith perfect safety to himself as well as to the regulator. By simplythrowing a switch in one direction or the other the controllingarm maybe operated to cut resistance in or out at will, and the speed ofoperation may be adjusted to suit conditions. Moreover, the travel ofthe arm is automatically stopped upon reaching a predetermined limit ofmovement in either direction.

hat we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

1. A remote-control regulator comprising a series of resistances andcontacts therefor, a contact-arm, and means for shifting the same oversaid contacts, said means including a disk mounted in fixed relationwith said arm, a support mounted for movement independent of said disk,a fixed stop, oppositelydisposed pawls pivoted to said support withtheir free ends adjacent to said disk and yield ingly held against saidstop, an electromagnetic means for vibrating said support to rotate saiddisk in either direction at will.

2. A remote-control regulator comprising a series of resistances andcontacts therefor, a contact-arm, and means for shifting the same oversaid contacts in opposite directions at will, said means comprising adisk in fixed relation with said arm, a pivoted support provided withpawls mounted adjacent to said disk, a pivoted arm having one end inengagement with said support, electromagnets disposed upon oppositesides of said arm, and means including a make-and-break mechanism at theopposite end of said arm for causing a vibratory movement of said arm.

3. A remote-control regulator comprising a series of resistances andcontacts therefor, a contact-arm, and means for shifting the same oversaid contacts, said means including a disk mounted in fixed relationwith said arm, a support mounted for movement independent of said disk,a fixed stop, oppositelydisposed pawls pivoted to said support withtheir free ends adjacent to said disk and yieldingly held against saidstop, a pivoted arm having one end in engagement with said support,electromagnets disposed upon opposite sides of said arm, and meansincluding a make-and-break mechanism at the opposite end of said arm forcausing a vibratory movement of said arm.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 17th day ofMarch, 1905.

JOHN L. HALL. WILLIAM G. YATES. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD.

